Horner syndrome is a rare disorder that occurs when certain nerves that travel from your brain to your eyes and face are damaged. Horner syndrome isn’t a disease itself, but is usually a sign of another medical problem, such as a stroke, tumor or spinal cord injury. Accordingly, there is no real treatment of the syndrome, but the underlying cause and resulting symptoms can be treated. One of the most common symptoms – droopy eyelids (ptosis) – can be treated by Dr. Mehryar (Ray) Taban through surgery.
What are the symptoms of Horner Syndrome?
Horner syndrome usually affects only one side of your face. Typical symptoms of Horner syndrome include:
· Ptosis – drooping of the upper eyelid
· Upside-down ptosis – elevation of the lower lid
· Decreased pupil size
· Anhidrosis – decreased sweating on the affected side of the face
· Redness of conjunctiva of the eye
· Enophthalmos – an impression that the eye is sunk in
What is Ptosis?
Eyelid ptosis occurs when the levator muscle weakens or stretches. The resulting droopy eyelid may cause a reduction in the patient’s vision if the eyelid obstructs the pupil in any way. Ptosis patients may have trouble keeping their eyelids open as the condition worsens. They may arch their eyebrows habitually, or even need to lift their eyelids with their fingers in order to see. Children suffering from ptosis can develop lazy eye or a developmental delay as a result of the limited vision.
How Does Dr. Taban Treat Ptosis?
Dr. Taban has several methods for correcting ptosis caused by Horner syndrome. Ptosis surgery is the primary way to fix droopy eyelids so that they no longer obstruct the patient’s eyesight. The goal of ptosis surgery is to elevate the eyelid to permit a full field of vision and to achieve symmetry with the opposite upper eyelid. This eyelid surgery involves tightening the levator muscle to achieve an eyelid lift.
Ptosis Surgery
Under the treatment of Dr. Taban, ptosis surgery can be performed through a posterior eyelid approach (mullerectomy), resulting in scar-less surgery with excellent eyelid contour. Dr. Taban also specializes in correcting severe cases of ptosis, in which a frontalis “sling” operation is needed to enable forehead muscles to elevate the eyelids.
In mild cases of ptosis, Dr. Taban can also perform surgery on the muscle on the inside of the lid. Revisional ptosis surgery is also possible and Dr. Taban uses a special technique (called full-thickness eyelid resection) in patients who have had unsatisfactory results from previous ptosis surgery.
Contact Dr. Taban for Treatment of Horner Syndrome Symptoms
Dr. Mehryar (Ray) Taban is a board certified oculoplastic surgeon, who specializes in cosmetic and reconstructive procedures of the eye, and has expertise in ptosis surgery caused by Horner syndrome. If you suffer from Horner syndrome and have ptosis as a result, contact Dr. Taban at one of his two offices in Beverly Hills and Santa Barbara to discuss your treatment options.